Does Your Insurance Exclude You? Part 2

The length of a holiday can factor in another exclusion. Many travel insurance policies expire after 28 consecutive days per trip unless you pay extra. Don't make the mistake of assuming that your annual travel insurance will cover you for an unlimited length of time; inform your insurer if you intend to be away longer than 28 days so they can arrange extra cover. The same goes for home insurance; if you are planning on leaving your property unattended for more than 30 consecutive days you must inform your insurer. Many policies include a clause which states you can't leave your home empty for longer than this. Arrange for a friend or neighbour to stay in your house if you need to take an extended trip.

If you're an adrenaline junkie, check your insurance policies carefully. If you have travel insurance you may find you can't claim if you're injured while on an adventure holiday involving any type of extreme sport; this can include sky-diving, off-piste skiing and bungee jumping among others. Your life insurance could be compromised if you regularly take part in extreme sports on a professional or semi-professional level; activities such as wrestling, boxing and competition martial arts are commonly excluded from cover.

The majority of car insurance providers will not pay up in the event of an accident if you were found not to be wearing your seatbelt. This falls under the category of negligence and can apply if you allowed an uninsured or unlicensed driver behind the wheel of your vehicle. Negligence can also take the form of having your car stolen after leaving the keys in the ignition, or failing to lock up your bike outside a shop and having it stolen. If you lose something due to your own negligence your insurer could refuse to pay, citing you didn't take 'reasonable care' of your belongings.

You may also be refused a payout if you were under the influence of alcohol at the time of an incident. This not only applies to car insurance - drink driving is not just illegal, but can invalidate a claim - but can also mean that if you injure yourself on holiday after an exotic drinking binge you can't claim for any medical expenses incurred as a result. Home insurance is also affected by alcohol; If you hold an alcohol-fuelled party in your house and anything is damaged or stolen, your insurer may not pay out.